Hose clamp tool

ABSTRACT

A tool for forcing a self-contracting hose spring clamp ring to its expanded position and for maintaining it in its expanded position for mounting or removing the ring wherein the ring has overlapping circumferential portions terminating in radially outwardly extending paired arms. The tool has a rotatable body, a central pivot point, and paired opposed cams. The tool is positionable relative to the arms of the clamp ring in its clamped position with the outer end of one cam adjacent one arm and with the outer end of the other cam adjacent the other arm. When the tool is rotated relative to the clamp ring, the cams move the arms from their normal circumferentially spaced position toward one another to expand the ring and forceably move the arms from their original position on one side of the pivot point of the tool to the other side of and past the pivot point to an over-center position and against the inner ends of the cams thereby locking the ring in expanded condition until the tool is reversely rotated to allow the ring to contract.

United States Patent [191 Clayton Apr.2, 1974 HOSE CLAMP TOOL Henry C, Clayton, 1821 Keats Ave., Madison Heights, Mich. 48071 [76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 81/93, 29/243.56, 29/229, 24/273 [51] Int. Cl B25b 27/00, 865d 63/02 [58] Field of Search 8l/9.3; 29/243.56, 229; 24/273, 268, 19 R, 68 HT, 68 R [56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 463,802 12/1913 France 24/273 16,956 2/1882 Germany 81/93 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant ExaminerRoscoe V. Parker 57 v ABSTRACT I I A tool for forcing a self-contracting hose spring clamp ring to its expanded position and for maintaining it in its expanded position for mounting or removing the ring wherein the ring has overlapping circumferential portions terminating in radially outwardly extending paired arms. The tool has a rotatable body, a central pivot point, and paired opposed cams. The tool is positionable relative to the arms of the clamp ring in its clamped position with the outer end of one cam adjacent one arm and with the outer end of the other cam adjacent the other arm. When the tool is rotated relative to the clamp ring, the cams move the arms from their normal circumferentially spaced position toward one another to expand the ring and forceably move the arms from their original position on one side of the pivot point of the tool to the other side of and past the pivot point to an over-centerrposition and against the inner ends of the cams thereby locking the ring in expanded condition until the tool is reversely rotated to allowthe ring to contract.

9 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 2 I974 wrench. An object of the invention. is to provide a tool for HOSE CLAMP TOOL An object of the invention isto provide a tool for expanding, holding and locking a spring clamp ring in its expanded unclamped position which is simple in design and construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, and positive in operation.

An object of the invention is to'provide a tool for use on spring clamp rings which have overlapping portions terminating in spaced paired radial arms, wherein the tool has paired cams for moving the paired radial arms of the clamp ring circumferentially-toward one another to expand the ring in conjunction with rotational movement of the tool relative'to the ring.

An object of the invention is to provide a rotatable tool having a pivot point and paired cams each having a radially outer end remote from, on one sideof, and relatively ahead of the pivot point.

An object of the invention is to provide a rotatable tool having a pivot point and paired cams each having a radially inner end proximate to, on the other side of, and relatively past the pivot point, and surfaces leading between the outer ends and the inner ends of each cam.

against the inner ends of the paired cams to lock the ring in expanded condition in the tool.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool for spring clamp rings which is rotatable by a handle or a spring clamp rings which may be left on the ring in locked expanded relationship so that hoses may be easily attached and removed without manually holding and positioning the tool,

An, object of the invention is to provide removable handles or wrenches for the tool so that a plurality of tools may be left on a plurality of clamp rings on multiple hoses so that the user may mount and/or dismount the hoses without further attention to the rings and/or the tool's.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description of various embodiments of the tool incorporating the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a clamp ring, hose, and tube assembly with the ring in clamped condition, with the radial arms of the ring depending, and the hose and tube foreshortened.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIG. 1 showing the overlapping portions and the spaced radial arms of the ring.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken on the line 3-3 thereof.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the ring in unclamped position as when expanded by the tool and showing that the radial arms are closer together Circumferentially.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 taken on the line 5-5 thereof.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the tool indicating the paired cams in dotted lines.

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the tool of FIG. 6 showing the cam grooves, the radial arms of the ring in the cam grooves, and partially showing the ring.

FIG. 8 is a face plan view of the tool seen in FIGS. 6 and 7 showing the cam grooves, diagrammatically showing the radial arms of the rings in the cam grooves,

and illustrating the relative positions prior to rotation of the tool and expansion of the ring.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 after the tool has been rotated with the radial arms of the ring moved toward one another to place the ring in unclamped expanded position.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of another embodiment with the paired cams formed by an S-shaped steel rod together with a stub shaft and a socket wrench, with the wrench handle broken away, and indicating the ring and its radial arms in broken lines.

FIG. 11 is-a face plan view of the'tool of FIG. 10, showing the S-shaped steel rod forming the cams in more detail, with the socket wrench deleted, and diagrammatically indicating the position of the radial arms of the ring in their clamped and expanded positions.

FIG. 12 is a back plan view of the tool of FIG. 10, showing the stub shaft mounting and with the socket wrench deleted. I

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the tool with the cams formed by an S-shaped sheet metal piece in conjunction with a removable driver handle, with the handle broken away.

FIG. 14 is an end view of the tool seen in FIG. 13, with the driver deleted, and schematically showing the relative position of the ring arms spaced apart in the clamped position prior to rotation of the tool.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 with the tool ro- Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts-throughout the several views, the tool disclosed therein to illustrate the invention comprises a rotatable body 20 having a central pivotpoint 21 and paired opposed and oppositely disposed cams 22 and 23, FIGS. 6-9. The cam 22 leads between a radially outer end 24 and a radially inner end 26. The cam 23 likewise leads between a radially outer end 25 and a radially inner end 27. The outer ends 34 and 25 of each cam lie remote from, on one side of, and relatively ahead of the pivot point 21. The inner ends 26 and 27 of each cam lie proximate to, on the other side of, and relatively past, over, or behind the pivot point 21.

The tool body 20 is positioned relative to a hose clamp spring ring 30 in its clamped or contracted position, FIGS. 1-3, such as on a hose 31 over a tube 32, by locating the radial arms 34 and 35 of the ring 30 at the cams 22 and 23 adjacent their outer ends 24 and 25, respectively FIGS. 7 and 8. When mounted, the hose 31 and tube 32 prevent relative rotation of the ring 30. When unmounted, a hose, tube, shaft, or clamp may be used on the ring 30 to hold it rotationally stationary. In its contracted position the ring has overlapping portions 36 and 37 between the arms 34 and 35 and the arms 34 and 35 are spaced apart circumferentially, FIGS. 2, 3, and 8. Also relative to the tool body 20, the arms 34 and 35 of the ring 30 are on one side of the center pivot point 21 when the tool body 20 is first positioned on the ring arms 34 and 35.

In operation with the arms 34 and 35 at the cams 22 and 23, respectively, FIG. 8, and with the ring 30 contracted and clamped, FIGS. 2 and 3, the tool body 20 is rotated relative to the ring 30 from the position seen in FIG. 8, to the position seen in FIG. 9. During this rotational movement the earns 22 and 23 move the radial arms 34 and 35, respectively, from their wide spaced position seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 8 to their closed spaced position seen in FIGS. 4, 5, and 9, thus expanding the ring 30 and unclamping it. The body 20 may be rotated with a wrench, not shown, turned manually, provided with a hex stub shaft 28 for engagement with a removable socket wrench 40, FIG. 10, and/or a driver 41, FIG. 13, and/or provided with an attached handle 42, F lG. 16.

In the last stated rotational movement of the body 20 and the cams 22 and 23, the radial arms 34 and 35 are forced from a position adjacent the cam radial outer ends 24 and '25, respectively, past the central pivot point 21 to a position over center and abutting the cam radial inner ends 26 and 27, respectively, FIGS. 4, 5,-

and 9. In this over center'position the circumferential force of the spring ring 30 is in the opposite direction of the broken line arrows of FIG. 9 exerting rotational force on the body 20 in the opposite direction to its last described rotary motion. However, after the arms 34 and 35 pass center, the body 20 is prevented from turning further in the first rotational direction by the overlapping portions 36 and 37 of the ring 30 abutting one another, and the tool body 20 prevents reverse rotational movement. This locks the tool body 20 and the ring 30 together in the expanded unclamped condition requiring forced reverse rotational relative turning to unlock by reversely moving the arms 34 and 35 from their over center position back to a position on their original side of the pivot point 21.

In the over center position of the ring arms 34 and 35, with the ring arms 34 and 35 abutting the cam inner ends 26 and 27, respectively, the inner ends 26 and 27 of the cams 22 and 23 lock against the arms on one side and the ring abutting portions 36 and 37 lock against the other side of the ring arms 34 and 35. Since the over center position prevents reverse rotation of the body 20 and the abutting portions 36 and 37 of the ring prevent further rotation of the body 20, the ring 30 and the body 20 are interlocked with the ring 30 in expanded non-clamping condition. All the disclosed embodiments operate in this way.

Preferably the cams 22 and 23 slant upwardly-radially-outwardly as do the arms 34 and 35 of the ring 30 and this cam slant provides an additional interlock axially between the arms 34 and 35 of the ring 30 and the cams 22 and 23.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGS. 10, 11, and 12, the body has a steel'rod bent into an S-shaped portion 60 forming the cams 51 and 52, the cam outer ends 53 and 54, and the cam inner ends 55 and 56. The rod leads upwardly from the cam outer ends 53 and 54 in extension portions 57 and 58. A plate 59 lies above the S-shaped portion 60 and is connected to the extension portions 57 and 58 as by welding. The stub shaft 28 is connected to the plate 59. Inwardly leading rod portions 61 and 62 extend from the rod extension portions 57 and 58, respectively, and are welded to the stub shaft '28. The stub shaft 28 may be extended and an axial or transverse handle, not shown, attached thereto. Preferably the removable socket wrench 40 or driver handle 41 is used to engage the stub shaft 28 to rotate the earns 51 and 52. The ring radial arms 34 and 35 of FIG. 11, together with the broken line arrows indicating the camming action with rotation and reverse rotation of the cams 51 and 52 illustrate the action in expanding and releasing the ring 30 in this embodiment. Here it is to be noted that the rod cams 51 and 52 are equivalent to the slanting cams 22 and 23, FIG. 7, as the arms 34 and 35 of the ring 30 extend over and above the cams providing an axial interlock therebetween.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGS. 13, 14, and 15, an S-shaped portion is made of sheet metal and forms the cams 71 and 72. FIG. 14 shows the unrotated position of the cams 71 and 72 relative to the ring arms 34 and 35 and FIG. 15 shows the rotated position of the cams 71 and 72 relative to the spring arms 34 and 35 to expand and lock the'ring 30. This embodiment operates like the others, but it is important here to note that the cams 71 and 72 do not slant, but only over center force interlock. This embodiment locks on the ring satisfactorily and is entirely operative in spite of the preferred slanting cam axial interlock of the other embodiments.

The great utility of the tool will be understood relative to using a pair of pliers to expand the ring 30 where the user must keep the manually exerted force of the pliers maintained -to keep the ring expanded whereas with the tool of the invention, after turning to the over center locked position, the tool keeps the ring expanded automatically and manual force need not be kept up.

Also there is danger in expanding an unmounted ring with a pair of pliers in that the ring can easily reversely rotate and fly as a projectile and do serious damage as put out the eye of a person using or looking on.

The high utility of the tool can be understood also in connecting or disconnecting multiple hoses on washing machines, dishwashers, automobile radiators, engines, air conditioners, windshield motors, vacuum hoses, and pressure hoses, outboard motors, snowmobiles, etc. Here in mounting the hoses, the rings are each expanded with an individual tool, placed on the hose with the tool thereon, the hose pushed on its proper tube, and the tool then removed leaving the ring clamped on the hose over the tube. Repeated expanding of the ring is eliminated and the danger obviated. In dismounting the hoses, each ring is expanded by an individual tool and left thereon while separating the hose and tubes, and thereafter while repairs are made. Then the hoses are replaced and the tools removed from the rings. Only one unclamping motion and one clamping motion are required and the user does not need two hands to hold the ring expanded and two hands to remove or mount the hose.

The high utility of the tool can also be understood from the fact that a ratchet wrench 40 may be used on the tool and incremental ratcheting angular movements of the wrench 40 used to move the tool its full operational angle. Thus in cramped quarters, the tool is exceptionably useful. Also use of the tool with the wrench 40, driver 41, and/or handle 42 enables the user to locate the tool at remote relatively inaccessable places and exert the turning force on the tool from a point remote thereto to expand the ring 30 and/or to allow contraction of the ring 30.

The scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

I I. A tool for forcing a self-contracting hose spring clamp ring to its expanded unclamped position and for maintaining it in its expanded unclamped position for mounting or removing the ring; the hose clamp ring in clamped position having axially overlapping circumferential portions terminating in radially outwardly extending paired arms with the overlapping portions of the ring spacing'the arms circumferentially and axially; and the arms being forceably movable toward one another against the spring force of the ring to expand the ring to its expanded unclamped position;

said tool comprising,

an angularly rotatable body; said body having a central pivot point; said body having means defining paired opposed cams;

each said cam having a radially outer end remote from, on one side of, and relatively ahead of said pivot point;

each said cam having a radially inner end proximate to, on the other side of, and relatively past said pivot point;

each said cam thereby leading from its radially outer remote end on one side of and ahead of said pivot point of said body, past said center point of said body, and to its radially proximate end on the other side of and past said center point;

said body being positionable relative to the arms of the clamp ring in its contracted clamped position with said outer end of one said cam adjacent one arm and with said outer end of said' other cam adjacent the other arm;

forced rotation of said body in one angular direction relative to the spring clamp ring swinging said cams relative to the, arms of the ring to forceably rnove the arms from their normal circumferentially spaced position toward one another circumferentially to expand the ring and to forceably move the arms from their original position on one side of said pivot point of said body to the other side of said pivot point and past said pivot point to an over-center position relative to said pivot point and against said inner ends of said cams;

the spring clamp ring after its arms are moved against said inner ends of said cams in the over center position relative to said pivot point of said body with the overlapping portions of the ring abutting one another urging the arms of the ring against said inner ends of said cams and urging the abutting portions of the ring against one another in opposition preventing further rotational movement in said direction with the over center position preventing reverse rotational movement thereby locking the spring clamp ring against said cams of said body in expanded non-clamping position;

the spring clamp ring being unlocked and returned to contracted clamping condition by forced reverse angular rotation of said body relative to the clamp ring.

2. In a tool as set forth in claim 1,

said cams having a radially outwardly slanting surface for axially engaging and interlocking the arms of the spring clamp ring therewith. I

3. In a tool as set forth in claim 1,

grooves in said body defining said cams.

4. In a tool as set forth in claim 1,

an S-shaped rod constituting said body and defining said cams. 4

5. In a tool as set forth in claim 1,

an S-shaped sheet metal piece constituting said body and defining said cams.

6. In a tool as set forth in claim 1,

said body providing means for engagement by a wrench for rotating said body against the spring force of a clamp ring.

7. In a tool as set forth in claim 1,

a handle on said body for rotating said body against the spring force of a clamp ring.

8. In a tool as set forth in claim 1,

a shaft on said body for angularly rotating said body.

9. In a tool as set forth in claim 8,

ing a wrench thereon. 

1. A tool for forcing a self-contracting hose spring clamp ring to its expanded unclamped position and for maintaining it in its expanded unclamped position for mounting or removing the ring; the hose clamp ring in clamped position having axially overlapping circumferential portions terminating in radially outwardly extending paired arms with the overlapping portions of the ring spacing the arms circumferentially and axially; and the arms being forceably movable toward one another against the spring force of the ring to expand the ring to its expanded unclamped position; said tool comprising, an angularly rotatable body; said body having a central pivot point; said body having means defining paired opposed cams; eacH said cam having a radially outer end remote from, on one side of, and relatively ahead of said pivot point; each said cam having a radially inner end proximate to, on the other side of, and relatively past said pivot point; each said cam thereby leading from its radially outer remote end on one side of and ahead of said pivot point of said body, past said center point of said body, and to its radially proximate end on the other side of and past said center point; said body being positionable relative to the arms of the clamp ring in its contracted clamped position with said outer end of one said cam adjacent one arm and with said outer end of said other cam adjacent the other arm; forced rotation of said body in one angular direction relative to the spring clamp ring swinging said cams relative to the arms of the ring to forceably move the arms from their normal circumferentially spaced position toward one another circumferentially to expand the ring and to forceably move the arms from their original position on one side of said pivot point of said body to the other side of said pivot point and past said pivot point to an over center position relative to said pivot point and against said inner ends of said cams; the spring clamp ring after its arms are moved against said inner ends of said cams in the over center position relative to said pivot point of said body with the overlapping portions of the ring abutting one another urging the arms of the ring against said inner ends of said cams and urging the abutting portions of the ring against one another in opposition preventing further rotational movement in said direction with the over center position preventing reverse rotational movement thereby locking the spring clamp ring against said cams of said body in expanded non-clamping position; the spring clamp ring being unlocked and returned to contracted clamping condition by forced reverse angular rotation of said body relative to the clamp ring.
 2. In a tool as set forth in claim 1, said cams having a radially outwardly slanting surface for axially engaging and interlocking the arms of the spring clamp ring therewith.
 3. In a tool as set forth in claim 1, grooves in said body defining said cams.
 4. In a tool as set forth in claim 1, an S-shaped rod constituting said body and defining said cams.
 5. In a tool as set forth in claim 1, an S-shaped sheet metal piece constituting said body and defining said cams.
 6. In a tool as set forth in claim 1, said body providing means for engagement by a wrench for rotating said body against the spring force of a clamp ring.
 7. In a tool as set forth in claim 1, a handle on said body for rotating said body against the spring force of a clamp ring.
 8. In a tool as set forth in claim 1, a shaft on said body for angularly rotating said body.
 9. In a tool as set forth in claim 8, said shaft being a stud shaft for removably connecting a wrench thereon. 